overtone
Americannoun
-
Music. an acoustical frequency that is higher in frequency than the fundamental.
-
an additional, usually subsidiary and implicit meaning or quality.
an aesthetic theory with definite political overtones.
- Synonyms:
- hint, intimation, suggestion, insinuation
noun
Etymology
Origin of overtone
Vocabulary lists containing overtone
Waves and Wave Properties - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Waves and Wave Properties - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physics - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The significant difference in the masses of the colliding black holes also produced a "higher harmonic," a kind of overtone similar to those heard in musical instruments.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2025
Swarming “microclusters” created by this tuning morph in and out of radiant, complex overtone harmonies.
From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
A Times review mercilessly ridiculed the French composer’s explanations of his “spectral” technique, a fanciful use of the harmonic overtone series to create a sense of aural wonderment in the listener.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2022
“The positive overtone will be extremely important because we can expect Beijing to turn to Taiwan, to appeal for some kind of dialogue.”
From Washington Times ● Jun. 27, 2022
The next longest wave is the third harmonic, or second overtone, and so on.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
